Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To analyze the distinctive pathological characteristics in the spectrums of spontaneous infrared radiation at the Taiyuan (LU 9) acupoint in patients with asthma.

METHODS:

A highly sensitive infrared spectrum detecting device was used to detect the spectrums of spontaneous infrared radiation at Taiyuan (LU 9) in 37 asthma patients and 34 healthy volunteers.

RESULTS:

Asthma patients had significantly lower infrared intensity than that of the healthy volunteers (P>0.01). Asthma patients had significantly lower overall infrared radiation intensity at the left Taiyuan (LU 9) than that of healthy volunteers (P > 0.05), but there was no significant difference between healthy volunteers and asthma patients at the right Taiyuan (LU 9) (P > 0.05). The infrared radiation intensity of 17 wavelength spots at the left Taiyuan (LU 9) and 4 wavelength spots at the right Taiyuan (LU 9) in asthma patients were significantly lower than those of healthy volunteers (P > 0.05). At 2 microm, the infrared radiation intensity of asthma patients was significantly stronger than that of healthy volunteers (P > 0.05). At 19 wavelength spots in the healthy volunteers and at 4 wave-length spots in the asthma patients, the left Taiyuan (LU 9) showed a significantly stronger intensity than that of the right Taiyuan (LU 9) (P > 0.05S). By Pearson's chi2 test, healthy volunteers had more wavelength spots that were significantly different between the left and right Taiyuan (LU 9) than the asthma patients (P > 0.01).

CONCLUSION:

Changes in the infrared spectrum at the Taiyuan (LU 9) acupoint in asthma patients may reflect distinct pathological changes. Certain acupuncture points may be related to specific organs.